Untitled as of Now
by AkaneAlways
Summary: Akane has gone missing, but all is not what it seems. Ranma has been diligently searching for 2 years. A trip back to Nerima might just solve the case.
1. Escape

Disclaimer: I do no own any rights to Ranma ½, please don't sue me!

A/N: Ok, I usually see these fics where Ranma leaves for one reason or another and every one is sad and then years later he returns and after some anger, every one is happy. This got me to think…if Ranma can get up and leave, then any of the other main characters could do the same (no I didn't just realize that, give me some credit). So, I'm using that premise to write this story. It seems like it's going to be predictable, but I may even surprise myself. Read on my friends.

Untitled

Everything was working out perfectly. The events of the day had left everyone exhausted and thusly, they were all fast asleep. Even the martial artist known as Ranma Saotome. The pounding rain was drowning out any sound that she may have made. The gate was left open by her partner in crime and her bags had been packed weeks ago. This rainstorm was the last step in her escape plan. She had to leave. The pain was just too much to handle anymore. The inadequacies had been made worse by the comparisons and her self-esteem was lowered by the constant insults. She had to get away before everything cam crashing down. She had to get away…

2 years later

Ranma was back in Nermia. He came back every month or so just to see how the search was going. He didn't know what could have happened to her in these two years. What the people who had kidnapped her had done, were doing to her. He hated himself the most. He was supposed to protect her. He was supposed to keep her safe. How could this of happened to his Akane. 

The town hadn't changed much in those two years. It was still small and peaceful. Although now strangers weren't welcome. There had been rumors that a gentleman about Akane's age was seen around town just before she disappeared and had left at the same time. This made Ranma even angrier. He hadn't notice anyone new back then. Usually he's the first person to hear about it when someone new blows into town. It hurt so much more to think that his sloppiness could have caused her thins pain. 

The search wasn't going any better. There were still no leads. All they knew for sure was that the days before the disappearance Akane had been doing her own disappearing acts. For about 3 weeks prior to her leaving Akane had supposedly been going to one of her friend house after school. She said that her friend had a problem and needed someone to talk to. After she disappeared, Nabiki's first order of business was to question all of Akane's friends. None of them knew anything about any problem.

Ranma blamed himself more than anyone. He and Akane had been fighting more than usual and not just the usual stuff. Uncute and sexless had changed to ugly and disgusting. He didn't mean it. He was just so frustrated with everything. Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi throwing themselves at him was unwanted. For some reason he had always taken their actions out on Akane. It was just easier to be mad at someone who was yelling at you than someone who was declaring their love for you. 

That had all changed after she was gone. He kicked the other fiancées to the curb. They had all told him that he was better off without her. At the beginning, it was easier. Easier to stay in character, easier to pretend he didn't care, easier to lie. But when the hours turned to days, and days turned to weeks, Ranma turned to glass. Everyone could see right through him. Up 4 months after Akane had gone missing Ranma was still saying he was only looking for her because Soun said so. The walls had to come down eventually. And now he was and everyone else who cared about her was looking. Waiting for the day when they could see her again. They wouldn't have to wait long…

Ha! Me and my cliffhangers of doom! Lol…so I hoped this chapter has intrigued you. The second part should be out by the end of the week (I've been writing at lunch). Check back often and, as always, feedback is much appreciated. Oh yeah, I have no idea what to title this fic, so ideas are welcome. Thanks again!


	2. Return

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 

Untitled

The meeting was in session. All of the people who loved Akane most were there, as they were every month. At the beginning it was hard for everyone to get together monthly, but it was routine now. Ranma had taken lead of the meetings and all the participants had gotten used to his style of leadership. It was hard for some of them to warm up to the search parties, but all were used to it now. Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne patrolled China. Ukyo mainly searched Osaka, Kyoto, and other towns where she could also get some business done, Nabiki checked into any mysterious princes, curses, or any other unusual happenings that her sister could have gotten caught up in. Ranma and Ryoga traveled, sometimes they were together but that was only if Ranma felt like having Ryoga around. Ryoga had gotten better about getting to Nerima, he wasn't perfect, but he would usually run into someone before each meeting. There were some random helpers. Tofu would ask all his patients if they had seen Akane and while Kasumi was shopping she'd ask the merchants if they had seen her. Genma and Soun attended the meetings, but they didn't do any searching. Soun took the notes from each meeting and Genma basically watched and gave them "ideas" on where she might be, all utterly hopeless. And so it goes…

"Ok, Nabiki do you have anything?"

"I've talked to some of my sources and they said that there's this price in Thailand who's been searching for a wife for a while now, but he's not kidnapping. He wants the girls to come to him, and he just started looking about six months ago." Ranma shook his head.

"Shampoo?" She looked towards Mousse

"Shampoo have nothing, but Mousse say he saw girl that look like Akane a while back." Ranma turned toward Mousse.

"Was it her? Do you know where she went?" Mousse shook his head.

"I only saw her for a few seconds. I was on higher ground and the girl was pretty far away, by the time I got down to her she was gone. You know my eyesight Ranma, it probably wasn't her, especially if Shampoo and Cologne didn't see anything." Ranma nodded.

"I…I suppose so. Ukyo, you have anything?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing Ran-chan. I was all over the place this month to. I put a picture of her on my cart and started asking people if they've seen anyone who looks anything like her. If they don't answer, they don't eat." Ranma rolled his eyes. He knew that Ukyo was trying to lighten the mood, but he was sick of this whole situation. 

"Ryoga, please tell me you have something more promising." Ryoga shook his head.

"I walked up and down the coast and didn't find anything." Ranma looked around the room.

"Any one have anything else to add?" They all shook their heads. Ranma noticed some tension in the room.

"What?" Kasumi decided to answer his question because she was the least likely to get yelled at. 

"Ranma, we've all been thinking. It's been two years and we haven't found anything. We all want her back, but this doesn't seem to be helping any. Maybe if we stop looking for a while she'll turn up. A watched pot never boils you know." Everyone around the table was looking at Ranma and he was looking at the floor. 

It had been almost 5 minutes before anyone said anything. They were all waiting for Ranma's answer. Finally Nabiki cracked.

"Ranma…" 

"If you want to stop looking for her then stop, but I wont. I can't." Ranma stood up and walked out. The group just looked at each other. They knew that this was the right thing to do. They all wanted Akane back too, that's why they've searched for this long, but they were all tired and discouraged. Ranma was a different case. The group members started talking to each other, assuring one another that what they had done was the right thing. 

Without the rest of the group Ranma knew that his work would be that much harder but at least he wouldn't have to double back to Nerima every month. He was walking on the fence as he always did. He avoided looking down towards the ground. He realized that in these two years he had grown accustomed to putting on a brave face for everyone else, but when he was alone…

Ranma jumped off the fence and turned left, it was the quickest way out of town. As he was walking out he noticed two people walking in. One was a man about Ranma's height with black hair. The person he was with was about a head shorter and was wearing a hood and cape. Ranma could only assume that the other person was a woman because the two had their arms linked. He was about to look away when a gust of wind blew the hood off the girl. It was her. Ranma was happy for all of two seconds. Then the man pulled her closer to him, Ranma saw red a charged.

"Are you worried Akane?" She had tried her best to mask her nervousness but, now that her hod has blown off she couldn't hide it. Her companion pulled her close.

"It's ok if you are. I'm a little scared too." Akane was going to answer but a red blur passed by, taking her friend with it. 

Ranma slammed the guy against the wall. It seemed that Ranma had surprised the guy. Ranma held the guy to the wall with his left hand and pulled back his right, this guy was about to get the beating of his life. Ranma started to close the distance between his fist and this guys face when he heard it.

"Ranma don't!" Then Akane ran towards them. She met Ranma's eyes for a millisecond when she turned toward her friend. She pulled Ranma's left arm away from his neck. 

"Are you ok?" The guy rubbed his neck and nodded. Akane turned on Ranma, anger in her eyes. 

"What were you thinking!?" Ranma had waited two years to talk to her, two years to see her, two years to look her in the eyes. It didn't matter that she was angry. Ranma pulled her into a hug.

"Akane…" the way he said it made Akane feel even worse about leaving. She hugged him back. Just as she was about to say "oh, Ranma" he pulled himself away from her and said,

"Where the hell have you been!?"

AN: End of Chapter 2 of this still untitled piece. The meeting didn't work out quite how I wanted it, but I think it's pretty good. Next chapter I reveal the identity of Akane's male companion and where she went and a little more expansion on why. I might even put in a scene with just Ranma and Akane, but I might have to hold it off until Chapter 4. Reviews are welcome and please be gentle, it was very late when I wrote this and I had already taken my medication (being sick isn't fun). Well, I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to your reviews. 


	3. Introductions

Disclaimer: Ranma sadly isn't mine.  
  
Untitled  
  
"Where the hell have you been!?". The man that Akane was with stood up and pushed Akane behind him.  
  
"How dare you talk to her like that!" Just as Ranma was about to yell Akane stepped in between them.  
  
"Wait. Souji-san, this is Ranma." Souji looked at Ranma and sneered.  
  
"He's seems worse than you had described."  
  
"Hey!" Ranma was about to hit Souji when he thought of something. Akane was back. She was standing right next to him and he was wasting his time with this guy. Then a few more of Ranma's gears started turning and he came to the conclusion that this "Souji" was the one who kidnapped Akane 2 years ago.  
  
Ranma grabbed Akane by the arm and pulled her towards him.  
  
"Akane, did this guy ever do anything to you?" Akane immediately turned a bright red.  
  
"Ranma, you pervert! How dare you say something like that? Why would you even think that?" Ranma looked dumbfounded.  
  
"Well, when someone kidnaps a girl it's usually for a reason!" Souji face faulted and Akane began laughing.  
  
"Kidnapped? Ranma, Souji didn't kidnap me. I ran away with him." Akane realized that her sentence came out wrong but decided to see what Ranma had to say before she corrected herself.  
  
"I see...you ran away...with him." Souji stepped up to Ranma.  
  
"I assure you it's not what you think. Akane and I..." Ranma turned on him  
  
"Who asked you!?"  
  
"Ranma!" Ranma looked towards the street, not wanting to meet Akane's glance.  
  
"Ranma, right now all I want to do is go see my family. I'll tell you want happened later, ok." Ranma's head shot up and his eyes widened.  
  
"Ok Akane, I'll see you there." And with that Ranma bolted back towards the Tendo dojo.  
  
Ranma got back to the house just as the party was leaving. They were all shocked to see him.  
  
"Ranma?" They were all surprised to see him after what they had told them.  
  
"She's back. I just saw here outside of town. She's coming here. No one leave!" They all looked relatively shocked. Especially Soun who, after realizing what Ranma said, began to cry.  
  
"She's back Ranma repeated to himself as the rest of the Nermia Wrecking Crew went back into the house." Ranma followed when he saw Akane turn the corner.  
  
AN: I know I promised to tell you where Akane was in this chapter but I'm thinking that it'll be better to stop here and start with that in the next chapter. Besides, I thought that the last paragraph works better as an ending. *shrugs* Comments welcomed and appreciated. 


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